Herald Square Dental and The Denture Center

Valentine’s Day is the special time of the year to celebrate love in all its forms, because without it we feel empty. Let us all be our own valentine and after having all the chocolate and candy, we can cherish something better – love for yourself. Let your love for yourself shine through your bright, well cared for smile.

Here are some tips on how you can show your smile some love this month:

Limit your sugary intake. With Valentine’s Day coming up, we know this is easier said than done. Make sure to limit eating those chocolates – bring them to work and share them with your coworkers and spread the love around.

When you do eat those sugary treats – brush and floss twice a day! This will help ensure none of those sugars contribute to tooth decay.

Call now to schedule an appointment at Herald Square Dental to make sure your smile is continuously bright and beautiful. Happy February!

Everybody experiences morning breath. When bad breath remains even after you’ve brushed, rinsed and spit, it could be a chronic problem! If your bad breath persists, we call that Halitosis. There are many factors that could contribute to chronic bad breath.

Factors that cause Halitosis:

Could be related to systemic illnesses such as diabetes, kidney disease, gum disease etc.

A side effect of a prescription or over the counter medication such as cold meds, asthma, antidepressants, and/or anxiety meds.

Could be a sign of untreated gum disease, also known as periodontitis.

Sinus and respiratory infections.

Deficient hygiene and tongue cleaning.

Smoking.

Dehydration, high caffeine intake, and/or carbonated drinks.

Decreased saliva solution could make dentures uncomfortable and cause pain and inflammation around soft tissue.

Firstly, you may want to see your medical doctor to rule out any side effects of your medication or undiagnosed health issues. If you’re concerned about your bad breath, please call to schedule an appointment at Herald Square Dental and the Denture Center for your oral assessment and dental cleaning and we can help you take your (Bad) Breath Away!

If you are looking for an alternative to dentures and would like to replace your missing teeth, dental implants may be for you. Dental implants are a popular long-term method for restoring your smile. Many people decide to get dental implants after they have experienced loss of teeth due to variety of reasons. Dental implants give you back your freedom from missing teeth.

Who gets dental implants?

Those who are in overall good health and are looking for a long-term solution for their missing teeth are candidates for dental implants. This includes those who are tired of dentures and are looking for a more comfortable and convenient alternative.

What are the advantages of dental implants?

There are many advantages of getting dental implants, including:

Convenience: dental implants are a long-term option for replacing missing teeth. They have the added benefit of being a permanent fixture in your mouth unlike dentures that can be abrasive to the gums and can cause difficulty speaking.

Easier eating: you may have found that eating has become more difficult with missing teeth. A dental implant allows for more efficient chewing and will allow you to enjoy your favorite foods once again.

Improved appearance: Dental implants look and feel like real teeth. They can be designed with the same color and shape as your surrounding teeth, making them natural looking

Confidence: Dental implants can give you a youthful appearance and increased self-esteem. You may find yourself smiling more than ever with your new implants.

How do I care for my dental implant?

The great thing about dental implants is that they require the same care as real teeth. This means regular brushing, flossing and routine dental checkups. If taken care of properly, your new implant can last you a lifetime!

Are you ready to start your journey to straighter teeth? Do you dislike the look of regular metal braces? If so, Invisalign may be for you.

Clear Aligners

Invisalign is a different take on traditional braces. This treatment is used to straighten crooked or crowded teeth with the use of clear plastic trays. Invisalign is designed to be invisible on the teeth, allowing for discreet treatment. Invisalign uses modern computer imaging to map out the future progression of your tooth movement for your aligner trays. This allows for completely customized aligner trays for your teeth.

How is Invisalign different from ordinary braces?

Invisalign allows the wearer to remove the trays whenever they would like to. This gives you the ability to eat and drink whatever you want during your treatment time. With its removable trays, Invisalign also allows the wearer to have improved oral hygiene over those who wear traditional braces.

The Process

Once you have had a consultation with your doctor to determine if Invisalign is right for you, your custom made Invisalign trays will be made. You will need to wear your trays up to 22 hours a day to maximize your treatment. Be sure to take your trays out for eating, drinking and of course to brush and floss. You will have new trays every two weeks and over the duration of your treatment you will begin to see your teeth shift into place. You can expect to have routine visits with your doctor every four to six weeks to check on your progress.

Aftercare

Once your treatment is over, you will have beautiful straight teeth. However, even though your treatment is done, you still need to wear a retainer at night. This is done to prevent your teeth from shifting.

If you are interested in starting Invisalign treatment, give us a call at (212) 689-0024 to schedule a consultation.

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Jan 4th, 2018 11:10 am
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Bone grafting has become so common, most patients have encountered the term at least once before entering our office. But delving deeper into some of the additional types of bone grafting will give you a better appreciation of this amazing procedure.

What is Bone Grafting?
Bone grafting is the process of using natural or synthetic materials to encourage your body to grow new bone. Your jawbone requires regular stimulation from the activities of teeth to maintain its shape. When a tooth is extracted, the jawbone immediately begins to lose mass. In oral surgery, we use bone grafting to build up the jawbone so that we can place a dental implant.

Types of Bone Grafting:
• Socket Preservation: After tooth extraction, the empty socket is filled with bone grafting material to preserve the bone in the site for tooth replacement in the future.
• Sinus Lift: The sinuses lie above the upper jawbone and are filled with air. If the upper jawbone has receded, we lift the sinus membrane and fill the space underneath it with grafting material to bulk up the bone for upper implants.
• Ridge Augmentation: As with socket preservation, ridge augmentation involves the filling the site of an extracted tooth, however, bone loss has already occurred in this case as the extraction was done months or years before.

If you have been told you need bone grafting and aren’t sure what to expect, please give us a call at(212) 689-0024.

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Dec 2nd, 2017 10:58 am
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You may have heard in the past that dental implants are one of the most effective ways to replace missing or damaged teeth. Dental implants are a great option for a lot of different situations, but when is getting a dental implant the best option for you? There are a few circumstances where receiving an implant might be the best option for improving your smile.

Dental implants typically consist of three components: the post, the abutment, and the restoration. The post is a screw which is inserted into the bone. The abutment is attached to the post and the restoration is placed on top, giving the finished product a beautiful, realistic look.

To restore and preserve your appearance.

One of the main functions of dental implants is to restore a smile back to its original glory. They are built to last a lifetime and last much longer than dental bridges. If you are looking for a permanent solution to damaged or missing teeth, dental implants are your best option.

To protect and preserve a healthy jawbone.

Missing spaces in your smile can lead your jawbone to deterioration, which causes it to lose its strength. Dental implants are the only option which will protect and save your natural bone. Waiting to get a dental implant can continue to increase the chances of your jawbone not being able to support dental implants in the future.

To stop your teeth from shifting.

Losing a tooth can cause the surrounding teeth to shift and look unnatural. These teeth can become crowded or can be shifted unevenly. This can cause your teeth to become harder to clean and can also cause your face to sag and appear sunken.

These are just a few of the instances in which you should consider getting dental implants. Dental implants are one of the most useful and successful restoration options available today. Almost anyone that is missing 1 or more teeth, regardless of age, is usually a candidate for implant dentistry which is the optimal tooth replacement. For more information on how we can restore your smile with dental implants, contact Herald Square Dental & The Denture Center at Herald Square Denture & Dental Center Phone Number 212-689-0024 today.

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Nov 3rd, 2017 10:56 am
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Many of us think that invisible braces, such as Invisalign, are only used to enhance the aesthetic value of a person’s smile. To a certain extent, that is true. Typically the goal of having braces is to straighten one’s teeth and improve his or her smile. However, did you know that there are actually health benefits to having a straighter smile as well?

Below are just a few of the ways in which invisible braces can benefit your health:

Overall Health: Since oral infections are thought to be related to other health issues in the body such as an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, or diabetes, keeping your teeth straightened and properly spaced apart is an important and crucial step to having better overall health.

Diverse Diet: With traditional metal braces, there are many foods you are unable to eat which can severely hinder diversity in your diet. Since invisible braces are removable, they allow you to eat a wider variety of foods, helping to ensure that you get all of the vitamins and minerals that are necessary for a healthy body.

Periodontal Health: Overcrowded teeth can lead to red, swollen, and irritated gums. These symptoms are typically signs of periodontal disease. Getting braces can allow your teeth to not only straighten, but also make more space between your teeth, allowing your gums more room.

Better Cleaning Access: Traditional braces take up a large amount of surface area on your tooth. Therefore, there is a good amount of tooth you’re missing every time you brush. With invisible braces, however, you are able to remove them in order to clean the entire surface of your teeth and maintain that impeccable flossing and brushing routine!

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. It kick starts your body and provides you with enough energy to make it through your hectic morning as well as keep your mind focused on the task at hand. Eating a balanced breakfast is not only good for you body, but also good for your teeth. Being mindful of the acidity and sugar levels in your food is key to keeping your teeth in tip-top shape!

When it comes to breakfast foods, there are a few foods we recommend eating in moderation! These include, but are not limited to, orange juice and sugary cereals. Orange juice has a very high acidity and by drinking too much, the acid can wear down your tooth enamel. Cereals that are high in sugar have a similar effect on your teeth, but the sugar can also cause cavities.

Eating a balanced breakfast that is low in sugar and acid, but high in protein will make your body and teeth feel great! Protein rich foods will help to build up your enamel and keep your teeth stronger than ever.

Early diagnosis can be a key component to giving you a fighting chance against the various types of head and neck cancer. There are many physical symptoms to look for when recognizing the signs of oral cancer aside from more commonly known warning signs such as a lump in the throat, mouth sores, and swelling of the jaw. These often mimic less serious conditions such as headaches, coughing, vocal changes, and a sore throat. Some also report ear pain, loss of hearing, or a ringing in the ears.

Risk Factors for Oral Cancer

Factors found to put you at a greater risk for oropharyngeal cancer include poor nutrition, using tobacco products, sunlight exposure (particularly in cases of lip cancer), alcohol abuse, radiation exposure (usually from a previous treatment) and HPV.

Alcohol, Tobacco and Oral Cancer

It is believed that at least 75% of head and neck cancers are linked to tobacco and alcohol use. Abstaining from using these substances can drastically decrease your risk, but it is also important to realize that genetics play an important role in the way that our immune system reacts and so some will be more genetically predisposed to cancer than others.

HPV and Oral Cancer

Another large factor causing oropharyngeal cancer (involving areas such as the back of the throat, tongue, and tonsils) is the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Doctors have recently found that somewhere between 50-70% of oral cancers are caused by HPV, which doesn’t show symptoms in those it infects until much later according to the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance. Although there is a vaccination for this virus, there is currently no cure. There are nearly two hundred strains of it, and it is estimated that somewhere between nine and fifteen are cancer causing. About fourteen million people become newly infected each year and most sexually active men and women will contract at least one type of HPV at some point in their lifetime.

While studies now show that HPV now accounts for about 70% of oropharyngeal cancer, many cancers are believed to be a caused by a combination of using tobacco and alcohol as well.

A trending topic right now seems to be the decision to opt for “mini-dental implants” instead of more traditional ones. Below we are going to take a look inside the trend, and lay out some of the benefits and drawbacks so that you can get a better understanding of this exciting trend in dentistry.

Benefits

Mini dental implants are usually less expensive than traditional ones, sometimes costing only 1/3 that of regular implants. They take less time to place and are smaller and less invasive, and can be used in small spaces or for those with inadequate bone mass.

With mini dentures, smaller dentures can be used, leading to a better tasting experience for the palate than a traditional denture would provide.

Mini implants can be placed with minimal recovery time, and usually require very little to no bone grafting.

Drawbacks

Because this is still a fairly new procedure, there are a few downsides. For one, there aren’t enough studies out there on the longevity of these implants, so we don’t know how they hold up over time. A study published in the International Journal of Implant Dentistry in 2016 revealed that traditional dental implant placement has a proven survival rate of 95% or greater. The analysis collected data from over 10,000 implants from 3,095 patients, across three separate private practices over the course of 20 years. For mini dental implants, there isn’t yet enough data to conclude a proper survival rate.

Another concern is that because this is such a new trend there is not as much information or regulation out there. Some practices with claims such as “Dentures-in-a-day” might not do a proper consultation, skipping important steps such as a 3D scan to make sure that you are a good candidate for the procedure.

While it may be some time before this method is perfected and adopted, it is also exciting to see the advancements changing people’s lives in the dental industry every day. Check in with Herald Square Dental & The Denture Center to find out what tooth replacement options may be right for you!

Posted by
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Aug 1st, 2017 7:49 am
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Herald Square Dental & The Denture Center

At Herald Square Dental & The Denture Center we pride ourselves on the quality of our care and our ability to administer the finest cosmetic dentistry and expert placement of dental implants in the New York area.